When several historical figures share a name, how does a navy specify whom a ship such as HMS Hood commemorates?
Short answerA portrait aboard the ship normally identifies its intended namesake, although some names invite broader or deliberately ambiguous associations.
NotesA portrait aboard a ship can identify the admiral or other historical figure commemorated by its name. HMS Queen Elizabeth provides a less straightforward example: the carrier is technically named for Elizabeth I, although many people associate it with Elizabeth II. Names can also recur across several navies, as with Prince Eugene. The Royal Navy's reuse of names inherited from captured ships adds another layer to the relationship between a ship's name and its original namesake.